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Purpose/Goal:
To demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of incorporating strip tillage into a farming operation under Mille Lacs County soil conditions and thereby justifying landowners adopt the technology. By demonstrating different cover crop options, we hope to show how cover crops can benefit the counties soil and water resources.
Objectives:

Successfully plant and establish five different types of cover crops along with a mix of all five planted together.
Provide information about each cover crop plant incorperated into the plot and give examples of how each provides its own value to a landowner’s operation and our soil and water resources.
Provide the opportunity to accompany landowners to the plot area for site visits throughout the year.
Provide environmental quality information regarding the demonstration plot outcomes to the public.
Organize a field day at the end of the growing season to provide a hands on opportunity for farmers to discuss the demonstration.
Identify hurdles or barriers to farmers adopting cover crop practices
Desired Outcomes:

Cover crop practices in Mille Lacs County will be accepted and adopted by landowner because the outcome of the Cover Crop Demo provided evidence of the cover crop practice’s capability of improving and sustaining soil and water quality.
Protect surface and ground water.
Improve soil health.
Timeline:

Summer – Plant the cover crop (no till drill method)
Scheduled Site Visits- Throughout the growing season
Mid October – field demo day w/public
Equipment:

Four row strip till machine with dry fertilizer attachment provided/donated by Soil Warrior
No Till Drill will be used to plant the cover crop (The no-till drill is available to rent by contacting the the Mille Lacs SWCD)

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